April 2006 Capital District Roundtable

Environment

Chris D Garvin Roundtable Commissioner

OUTLINE

Introduction Merit Badges Leave No Trace (LNT) Teacher’s Guide Sources Questions

www.scoutingmagazine.org

About our cover:About our cover: Assistant Scoutmaster Doug Gunderson leads a group of current and former Scouts from Kent, Wash., Troop 474 to the summit of Mount Rainier. Beginning on page 22, veteran mountain climber and guide Ted Callahan tells how the troop has made it to the top of the mountain for 25 years in a row.

In the May - June 2006 Issue Letters News Briefs Boys' Life Program Helper Family Talk Front Line Stuff Outdoor Smarts Family Fun Page Enter Scouting Magazine's Cartoon Caption Contest The 'Sneaky Diseases' At the Peak of Success A FAMILY TOGETHER FEATUREThe Puppeteers The Wonder of the Woods — What Are Our Children Missing? The Fun Is Outdoors!

                                                                                                   

Introduction

“The development of good citizens is one of Scouting’s aims, and citizens need to practice sound environmental living and conservation of natural resources.”

Scouting and Conservation Factsheet 02-519D

Merit Badges

Merit Badges Forestry Merit Badge Environmental Science Merit Badge Fish & Wildlife Management Merit Badge Soil & Water Conservation Merit Badge

Conservation Merit Badge Group Source

www.meritbadge.com/home.htm Learning Worksheet Test Your Knowledge

Teacher’s Guide

Leave No Trace

A presentation by:

Paul Campbell

Leave No Trace (LNT) is: Not a set of rules Not just a

program An attitude A way of life

The Outdoor Code

As an American, I will do my best to –Be clean in my outdoor manners,Be careful with fire,Be considerate in the outdoors, andBe conservation-minded

As long as I'll live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing.

I'll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche.

I'll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.

—John Muir

750% Increase Of Use Over 30 Years

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

1964 1974 1984 1994 2000

Number of Users

Seven Points To LNT

Plan Ahead and Prepare

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In, Pack It

Out)

Leave What You Find

Minimize Campfire Impacts

Respect Wildlife

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Plan Ahead and Prepare Know regulations and special concerns.

Prepare for extreme situations.

Avoid times of high use.

Visit in small groups.

Use map and compass to eliminate marking.

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Use established trails, campsites, rock, gravel, dry grass and snow.

Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.

Good campsites are found not made.

Do not alter.

In popular areas: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.

Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet and muddy.

Keep campsites small.

Focus activity where vegetation is absent.

In pristine areas: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.

Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

Dispose of Waste Properly(Pack it in, pack it out). Deposit human waste in catholes dug 6-8 inches deep,

200 feet from water, camp and trails. -Keep vegetation or soil to disguise cathole

when finished.

Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.

Carry dish or bathing water 200 feet from water, camp and trails to dispose.

-Strain dishwater. -Use small amounts of biodegradable soap. -Scatter wastewater when finished.

Rule of 200’s

Go 200 feet from water, trails and camp.

Leave What You Find

Preserve the past

Avoid introducing or transporting nonnative species.

Do not build structures or furniture, or dig trenches

Minimize Campfire Impacts Use light weight stoves for cooking and enjoy a candle

lantern for light.

Where fire is permitted, use established fire ring, a fire pan, or a mound fire lay.

Keep fires small. Use sticks from ground that can be broken by hand.

Remove partially burned garbage, including leftovers.

Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter ashes.

Respect Wildlife Observe from a distance.

Never feed animals.

Store food and trash securely.

Leave pets at home.

Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: -mating, nesting, raising young, or

wintertime.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors Be courteous. Yield to others on the trail.

Step downhill side of trail when encountering horseback riders.

Take breaks and set up camp away from trails and other visitors.

Let nature’s sounds prevail. Be quiet.

Teaching LNT

In teaching LNT the student needs to have a purpose to live it.

As the teacher, you can help people understand their connection to the environment.

Love of: Beauty Trees Fun

Plants relax Water Animals Interest in Learning of Nature Earth

History

Oneness With Nature Fun

Leisure Discovery

Need for a challenge

Three Keys to Teaching LNT

Learn then educate.

Learn more, then educate.

Learn, educate then apply.

Games and Activities

Quick Concepts & Activity Plans Our Natural World • Quick Concept • Activity Plan—Understanding Outdoor Ethics Plan Ahead and Prepare • Quick Concept • Activity Plan 1—Exploring Pretrip Planning • Activity Plan 2—Exploring Meal Planning Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces • Quick Concept • Activity Plan 1—Exploring Travel Concepts • Activity Plan 2—Exploring Campsite Selection Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Games and ActivitiesDispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In, Pack It Out) • Quick Concept • Activity Plan 1—Exploring Trash Disposal • Activity Plan 2—Exploring Disposal of Human Waste Leave What You Find • Quick Concept • Activity Plan—Exploring Natural Settings and Archaeological Areas Minimize Campfire Impacts • Quick Concept • Activity Plan—Exploring Fires and Stoves Respect Wildlife • Quick Concept • Activity Plan—Exploring Respect for Wildlife Be Considerate of Other Visitors • Quick Concept • Activity Plan—Exploring How to Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Sources for Games and Activities

www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/21-117/index.html

Leave No Trace Award

Requirements For Award

1. Recite and explain the principles of Leave No Trace.

2. On three separate camping/backpacking trips demonstrate and practice the principles of Leave No Trace.

3. Earn the Camping and Environmental Science merit badges.

4. Participate in a Leave No Trace-related service project.

5. Give a 10-minute presentation on a Leave No Trace topic approved by your Scoutmaster.

6. Draw a poster or build a model to demonstrate the differences in how we camp or travel in high-use and pristine areas.

References and Resources

www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/21-117/01why.html

www.lnt.org/main.html www.blm.gov/education/lnt/ www.leavenotrace.com www.usscouts.org/advance/venturing/

LeaveNoTrace.html

References and Resources

Boy Scout Handbook Fieldbook by BSA REI - www.rei.com Online searches

References and Resources

Discussion What aspects of conservation and the

environment should we teach Scouts? How does radical environmentalism

effect Scouting in Idaho? Nationally? To what extent should Scouts be allowed

to aid in Environmental Projects? What limitations, if any, should be considered?

How can we better include the Environment and Conservation in the Boy Scout program?

WORLD CONSERVATION AWARD

You can earn this award by earning the following merit badges:

Environmental Science merit badge. Either Soil and Water Conservation or Fish and

Wildlife Management merit badge. Citizenship in the World merit badge.

Sources

Sources Bureau of Land Management (State &

District) Natural Resource Conservation Service Parks & Recreation Department (City and

State) Parks, Pools, Cemetaries, Nurseries, Greenbelt,

Cmty /Recreation Centers, Schools, Zoo, etc.) Agricultural Labs, Seed Labs and Tree

Farms Idaho Fish & Game (State & Regional

Offices) Fish Hatcheries

Sources

US Geological Services Idaho State Military Division Idaho Historical Society

(Preservation, Penitentiary) Idaho Lands Department US Forest Service (State & District) USDA Service Centers

Sources

Americorps Environmental Protection Agency National Park Service Bureau of Reclamation Agricultural Research Centers World Center for Birds of Prey Local & Community Centers

May 2006 Capital District Roundtable

QUESTIONS?

Capital District Roundtable

Chris D Garvin cdgarvin@yahoo.com (Home) 890-9537 (Cell) 890-3222

Roundtable Archive and Info http://www.capitalscouting.org/capital_rndtbl/